Chinese ambassador calls for better Belt and Road co-op with Britain

LONDON — Chinese Ambassador to Britain Liu Xiaoming on March 13 spoke highly of the British role in helping build the Belt and Road (B&R) to revive the ancient Silk Road.

In a signed article entitled “Britain is helping us build a new Silk Road” on the Daily Telegraph, Liu said Britain is a country of global influence and can be an important partner for China in B&R.

He said that Britain has many strengths and unique advantages that could give it a head start in B&R cooperation, referring to the country’s highly internationalized financial sector, mature professional services in law and consulting, prestigious think tanks and educational institutions as well as world-class research and development and innovation platforms, among others.

He stressed that these strengths and advantages put Britain in an excellent position to secure the opportunities the B&R has to offer.

“China and the UK can continue to advance their respective development strategies in tandem, can expand trade and investment, jointly explore and develop the market along the B&R route, and deliver greater common prosperity,” Liu said.

He said that the remarkable opportunities of B&R cooperation are now up for grabs.

“With China, Britain can be a key partner, reaping the potential of these opportunities,” Liu said. “By ensuring we pull together, the B&R initiative can, like the Silk Road before it, go a long way to delivering better lives for many millions of people, from Asia to Europe.”